Getting active at APHA 2018: Meeting attendees log 8.7 million steps

Public health professionals at APHA’s 2018 Annual Meeting and Expo practiced what they preached by walking millions of steps, jumping rope, dancing it up and otherwise staying active while in San Diego.

Thanks to the Annual Meeting’s Wellness Center, attendees were able to take part in a wide range of free physical and wellness activities, from yoga and acupuncture to belly dancing and rock-paper-scissors playoffs. There were also events that explored the lighter side of activity and relaxation, such as coloring, board games and the particularly popular chair massages.

The Nov. 11 evening APHA Dance Party was also a draw. Hundreds of attendees took part in line dances, the official APHA Dance and the free-for-all get-down that followed.

It was the meeting’s walking and steps events that got attendees the most active, however. During the three days of the APHA Annual Meeting Steps Challenge, registered walkers and runners logged 8.7 million steps, far surpassing last year’s count of 5 million. APHA member Rogie Royce Carandang won the runners competition, with more than 90,000 steps, and Melissa Bustamante won the walking competition, with more than 60,000 steps.

Part of the reason for this year’s high walking count was the Monday Mile walking group. Part of the Mondays Campaign, the group held walks along the San Diego Bay once or twice a day.

Research shows that people are more likely to quit smoking, start diets and schedule doctor’s appointments on Mondays. They are also more likely to start a new exercise regimen, which is why the walking group events began on Monday of the meeting.

“If you start the week off healthy on a Monday, you’re more likely to be healthy during the week,” Peggy Neu, president of the Mondays Campaign, told The Nation’s Health. “We really wanted to help members and attendees start the week off fresh and in a healthy way.”

APHA member Rebecca Lyons, who works on health promotion in rural communities in Illinois, said she was inspired to get active during the Annual Meeting and join a Monday walk. The San Diego ocean view and sea breeze was also a draw.

“It’s much easier to do in San Diego than Chicago,” Lyons told The Nation’s Health.